When Barbara Morgan went into space, she explained ho important that teachers use every opportunity to improve their knowledge and skills to be able to make their classes effective. Watching us working in a spacecraft will tell the students what adults do in times of emergencies, what kind of decisions they take, she said.
Now, Glenn Coutoure, a teacher at Norwalk High School did a space adventure, with major differences. He and other science teachers got into a plane simulated the reduced gravity of the Moon and Mars and then weightlessness. Each was clicked for 30-second chunks.
They floated, did push-ups, flew in parabolic paths inside the plane. They also caught M&Ms flying in a straight line with their mouth.
They made a DVD of this simulation and showed it to their XI and XII Physics class. The lesson was about the laws of motion. The students thought it was “cool”.
The experiment was part of the Northrop Grumman Foundation’s efforts to popularise science in schools. Along with science, science teachers are expected to climb the popularity charts.
In 2005 and 2006, nearly 92% teachers reported an increase in overall interest in science among their students. About 75% said more students wanted to continue studying math and science.
For their life-like teaching aid, Glenn Coutoure and co-teachers went aboard a modified 727 operated by Zero Gravity Corporation. On these commercial weightless flights you pay $5,000 a ticket. On the flight, you get weightless and up-and-down movements. What fun!
